Tester



I Jne 28, 1932. T. RAY ET AL` 1,865,047

TESTER Filed Deo'. 19. 1921'4 vsneets-vsheet 1 T` RAY ET AL .lune 28, 1932.

TESTER Filed Dec. 19. 1927 @wen/W75 Jszza. 7? Pay was Fay June 278, 1932. v T. RAY ET L 1,865,047

f TESTER Filed D60. 19, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @Maa By m 'WW2 Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES THOMAS RAY AND JOSHUA R. RAY, OF MANISYTEE, MICHIGAN TESTER Application led December 19, 1927. Serial No. 241,052.

This invention pertains to the general class of devices for the purpose of testing the purity of substances by means of passing light therethrough and particularly to a device for the purpose of testing salt and other substances. An object of this invention is the production of a device which is compact in arrangement, simple in construction, readily placed in operation', economical to construct,

durable and of high efliciency. Itis well known in the art Vthat salt when ready to be placed upon the market is apt to contain various impurities, some of said impurities being present to a considerable extent without being'readily detected. Salt containing impurities to any extent is generally rejected and discarded. The present practice in selecting marketable salt and grading same is by the color ofthe salt. The selection is gen.-

erally made without the use of apparatus. However, considerable impurities may exist in the salt and yet same will appear perfectly white. This salt when placed alongside of a relatively high grade of pure salt cannot ordi'- narily be distinguished therefrom. Furthermore, considerable salt at the present time is discarded on account of its color, said salt often containing a less amount of impurities than other salt which is marketed. In order to stabilize and standardize the testing of salt and other substances, applicants have produced the device disclosed in this application. It is to be noted that applicants device can be used by the ordinary workman. It has particular utility in that it may be readily employed to check results at any stage of the process of manufacture without reference to the laboratory. I f

Many other objects and advantages of :the

niounted upon a standard tion; v

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the salt tester; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the casing sections;

Fig. 6 1s a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the salt tester showing the arrangement of the light bulbs, lenses, and receptacles for holding the specimens;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the salt tester; and

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1 is a standard for supporting the tester casing. The casing is in two parts, 2 and 3, which are in longitudinal alignment and suitably hinged together by hinges 4. On the side of the casing opposite the hinges is a latching member 5 of any suitable construction for securing the casings 2 and 3 rigidly together. Casing sections 2 and 3 may be mounted upon the standard 1 by a suitable hinge 6 secured to the standard 1 and the bottom of casing section 2. The hinge 6 may be located on the bottom of casing section 2 so as to allow the centers or pivots of the hinges l to just clear the top of the standard 1 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, thus allowing the casing section 3 to be dropped down to the dotted position shown in Fig. 2. Casing section 2 may also be dropped downward by virtue of the hinge 6, in which case the casing sections 2 and 3 will assume the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 1. In this case, casing section 3 may be raised to the position shown in dotted lines. When the casing sections 2 and 3 are rigidly secured together by means of the latch member 5, the casing sections 2 and 3 are tilted with respect to the standard 1 by virtue ofthe hinge 6 only. These Various positions of the casing sections 2 and3 with respect to the standard 1 allow for Vchanging of specimens to be tested,

as well as replacing broken lenses and light bulbs, the location and purposes of wh Y will be liereinafterset forth.

ich

lis

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, casing section 3 is shown to have an extension 7 within which are mounted receptacles 8 for the purpose of holding electric light bulbs 9. The receptacles are connected with a source of supply by suitable electrical wires. Mounted intermediate the ends of casing section 3 are lenses 10, preferably of daylight glass. The electric bulbs 9 are also` preferably what is known as daylight bulbs; The end of casing section 2 adjacent the casing section 3 is apertured as shown at 11 and 12. rhe outer surface of the casing section 2 about the apertures 11 and 12 is preferably recessed at 13 andY 14, respectively, in order to accommodate specimen holders 15 and 16, respectively. The end of casing section 2 remote from that end adjacent to casing section 3 has secured between the vertical side walls thereof at the upper and lower edges and extending` horizontally therebetween resilient members 17 and 18 which are preferably coil springs. The horizontalwalls of casing section 2 are cut away a short distance `as shown at 19 and 20, leaving a space between the ends of the horizontal walls and the end of the casing. This space is covered by curtains of any suitable material such as clot-h. Each curtain is preferably attached to the inner face of a horizontal wall member; then it extends outwardly around a coil spring and back. It is then attached to the outer face of the horizontal member. rPhe curtains are clearly shown at '21 and 22 in Fig. 8.

The purpose of the construction just described is that of forming a seal about the forehead and lower part of the face when the head is placed in the open end of the casing section 2. By this novel and compact arrangement and combination of parts, a very effective seal against light is provided.

The specimen holders 15 and 16 are of similar construction and comprise an upper plate 23 and a lower plate 24 of transparent material (see Fig. 6). Plates 23 and 24 are spaced apart by a suitable annular ring 25. A pocket 26 is thus formed for the reception of the specimens. The specimen contained within the pocket 26 may be either that of the salt to be tested or `that of salt used as a standard. In the case of the specimen vholder containing the standard specimen, theplates 23 and 24 and an annular ring 25 may be permanently secured together. In the case of the specimen holder used for the purpose of holding the specimen of the salt to be tested, only one plate either 23 or 24 and preferably the plate 24 may be secured to the annular ring 25. The other plate is removable for the purpose of filling and emptying the pocket 26, Either specimen holder 15 or 16 may contain the standard, while the otherrspecimen holder willcontain the specimen to be tested, Specimen holders 15 and 16 are secured in their respective recesses 13 and 14 by means of clamps 27, the preferred arrangement of which is clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The construction of clamp 27 is shown in Fig. 6 and comprises a post 28 secured to a base 29, base 29 being secured to the end of casing section 2. Above and partly surrounding post 28 is a sliding member 30 channeled at 31 and partially closed at one end except for an aperture 32 to allow for the entrance therein of post 28.V Post 28 has a disk 33 secured to the end thereof extending into the channel 31. Between the disk 33 and the closed end of the channel 31 is a spring 34. Integral with the outer surface of sliding member 30 and normal thereto is an arm 35, at the outerr end of which is an arcuately spaced contact member 36 which contacts the upper surface of plate 23 and holds the speci,- men holder in place by virtue of the spring 34. The operation of the clamp will be obvious to persons skilled in the art.

' Referring now to Fig. 2, the circuit through the light bulbs is closed as follows'. Mounted upon the top of casing section 2 is a suitable switch 37 which is normally held open by a spring 38, one end of which is attached to the operating lever 40 of switch 37 and the other end is attached to the casing section2 at 39. VThe source of electrical energy is connected to the bulbs through the switch 37. To light the bulbs it is only necessary to pull the operating lever 40 of the switch against the action of the spring 38, thereby closing the circuit and lighting the lamps. By releasing the lever 40, the switch is opened and the electrical circuit broken. It is obvious that any form of mounting for casing sections 2 and 3 may be provided. Applicants have provided in a modified form, an arrangement whereby `casing section 3 may be permanently mounted upon a tripod. Casing section 2 only is movable and is dropped down into a position similar to that shown `in Fig. 1.

The operation of the'device is as follows: Casing section 2 is dropped to the position shown in Fig. 1, the standard specimen is placed in one of the recesses 13 or 14 in the end of casing section 2 and is secured in place by clamps 27. The specimen of the salt to be tested is placed within the other specimen holder and placed in the other recess and held in place by clamps 27. Casing sections 2 and 3 are then secured together by the latch member 5 and assume vthe position shown in Fig. 2. The operator now looks into the open end of the casing section 2, placing his forehead and the lower part of his face against the curtains 21 and 22 which are held in position by resilient members 17 and 18. By pushing the head forward into the opening, the resilient members 17 and 18 conform to the shape of the forehead and lower part of the face and provide an effective seal against light.

The electric switch is now closed and the bulbs lighted. The existence of impurities in the salt is shown by the discoloration of the specimen thereof. The extent of discoloration is determined by comparing the specimen under test with the standard. Applicants prefer to use daylight bulbs and daylight lenses inasmuch as same materially increase the eiiciency and usefulness of the device. Inasmuch as the impurities in the salt are generaly of a color other than white, the presence of impurities is readily detected in this manner. The specimen, of course, is that of a high grade of salt and is for all practical purposes pure and white. A highly eiicient, practicable and accurate means is thereby provided for the testing of salt and other like material. Same may be used night or day. The light is always of the same intensity which makes it possible for the operator to become readily proficient in its use.

Having thus described our invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of our invention; hence We do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned'.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a tester of the kind described, the combination of a tubular member open at one end and having the opposite end closed by a wall, said wall having a plurality of apertures provided therein, transparent specimen holders extending across the apertures and providing reillable receptacles for receiving a specimen of a commodity to be tested, means secured to said wall for engaging and separably securing said holders against displacement with respect to said apertures, and a member provided withl means for illuminating said receptacles, said member providing means cooperating with said' apertured wall to provide a housing for said receptacles and being movable relatively to said wall to enclose and expose said specimen holders.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

JOSHUA R. RAY. THOMAS RAY. 

